The Ballintober type sword was the first british/irish leafbladed sword
meant for cutting, rather then thrusting like the rapiers. The leafblade
style was copied from continental swords like the Hemigkofen and the Erbenheim
type swords.

Finished sword

Here's the finished sword. The blade I cast with Neil Burridge
for the Bronze Sword Festival of 2006 (see more information on Neil's
site). The edges are hardened and beveled, and the blade given an overal
polish. The hilt is from yew wood. No hilts are known from Ballintober
sword. I based the shape on hilts of similar swords from the same period,
of which bronze hilted examples are known.